


Nightmares

by bluemaster13



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Pre-Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Takes place right before WW1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:08:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22930747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemaster13/pseuds/bluemaster13
Summary: Alfred has always had nightmares.T for minor swearing.
Relationships: America/England (Hetalia)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	Nightmares

Alfred has nightmares.

While this predicament is far from unusual for the nations, Arthur thought the American’s were particularly nasty. It would always start the exact same way, even back when he was a colony. First, he would start shivering. That was always the strangest sign. Alfred was always so fearless, so reckless, so stupidly brave that seeing him shiver in fear felt blasphemous. Then the whimpers would start. For someone normally so boisterous and loud, the small whines were always so quiet. Sometimes Arthur wouldn’t even hear them, even when he was laying right next to him. After that the tears usually began. And those were always the worst part, at least for Arthur. Someone so happy, so sweet and bright and _good_ should never suffer like that.  
  
Back when he was a colony, it was so easy for Arthur to comfort him. More often than not, Alfred would come bursting into his room and cling to him. Arthur would wrap him in his arms, and quietly stroke his hair until he finally fell asleep. Even in the years leading up to the end, he would always come to Arthur after a bad nightmare. 

Then the Alfred rebelled, and _everything_ changed.

Now all of a sudden, Alfred’s room was empty. Arthur never heard those little whines and cries for comfort. At the time, he vindictively thought it was a good thing. The boy wanted his bloody independence, he should learn how to be a big boy and handle his shit on his own.

The years passed, and as Arthur’s empire was crumbling around him, he buried those memories deep in his subconscious, never to be thought of again.

He saw Alfred occasionally at world meetings, but their first conversation after the war was stilted and awkward; neither of them able to move past the hurt they’d caused. 

They didn’t speak again until 20th century. After the world meeting had concluded, Arthur had immediately taken to his quarters. The meetings had been progressively getting more tense as the European nations shouted back and forth about any topic under the sun. He was exhausted. He sprawled across his bed, really for a nice long rest. “God,” He thought before he passed out, “if these bloody prats don’t get off their bloody high horses we could be headed for a global disaster the likes of which the worlds never seen.” 

Arthur was jolted awake by the sound of knocking. He rolled off his bed, drowsily making his way to the door. Probably that bloody frog, trying to convince him to “enjoy the nightlife”.... Arthur yankee the door open, already halfway through his usual string of insults when he suddenly froze.

It wasn’t Francis waiting behind his door. It was Alfred.

His tall frame was slumped over, leaning heavily against the doorframe. His large hands were clenched by his sides, nails digging into skin. His glasses were gone. But Arthur barely noticed all of those things. No, Arthur was mostly focused on the tears pooling in his eyes.

“A-Arthur... c-c-can I....?”

He was shaking so badly his teeth were chattering. Arthur had never heard him like this before. His voice, normally so loud, was quiet and strained, like every word was being forced out of his mouth. Arthur, shocked beyond reason, quietly nodded and gently stepped aside to let him in his room. 

Alfred practically ran into the room, immediately climbing onto the lone mattress. He was still shaking. Arthur, still in the doorway, was quietly contemplating just what the BLOODY HELL he was doing. Letting Alfred into his room?!! At...fucking hell was it 3 AM?!! When they hadn’t had one bloody conversation in over a century?!! Cursing his existence, Arthur briefly considered forcing Alfred to leave. He could probably pull it off. He was the bloody United Kingdom. He could do anything. Arthur turned and stomped towards the bed, ready to berate the moron for interrupting his evening, when he froze. Alfred was curled up in Arthur’s comforter, clutching a pillow to him as tears continued to stream down his face. His shaking was somehow even worse, and his nails were breaking the skin of his palms, causing small drops of blood to smear across the sheets. Suddenly, all the fight in Arthur disappeared. He deflated, and started climbing under the covers. 

Well the idiot was already here, and it would be rude to send him back.

Arthur climbed under the sheets, shuffling his body so that his back faced Alfred. Maybe if he could forget he was there, he would get some sleep. Suddenly, a warm weight was pressed against his back as an arm wrapped itself around his waist. Alfred had apparently given up the pillow in favor of Arthur. Arthur let out a long suffering sigh, and slowly turned so that he was facing the American. His eyes were shut now, and he had stopped crying. He could’ve been asleep. The glow from the moonlight cast shadows across his face, making it look even more peaceful. Arthur slowly reached out his hand, stroking Alfreds hair the way he used to when he was small. Alfred immediately relaxed into the touch, and slowly his breathing evened out, signaling that he was finally asleep. Arthur chose to ignore this though, slowly stroking his hair until the Englishman drifted off himself.

When Arthur woke up the next morning, Alfred was gone, leaving only a note. The note said only two words.

_Thank you._

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos to my friend TheSilverPhoenix for encouraging me to post this! I hope you guys liked it, and please feel free to leave a comment or kudos. Thanks for reading!


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